Double-ended blower and volutes therefor

• US 6,910,483 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd. (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Martin, Dion Charles C., Reed, Nicholas J, Lea, Stephen A., Daly, Geoffrey D., Virr, Alexander, Fu, Timothy Tsun-Fai, Puckeridge, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ragonese, Andrea M.
• Application Number:
  US10/360,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20030168064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 417/350, 417/423.1, 417/244, 417/423.14, 417/423.5, 415/199.1, 415/211.2, 415/214.1, 415/212.1, 415/119, 415 97-103, 415203-206, 416/177, 416/185, 416/198.R, 416/199, 416/198.A, 416/120, 416/124, 416/128, 416/129, 416/157.R, 128/204.18, 128/204.21, 128/204.23, 128/204.26, 128/205.11, 128/205.24
• US Class Current: 128/204.26
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0069 the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0816 Joints or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 1/00 Radial-flow pumps, e.g. centrifugal pumps; Helico-centrifugal pumps adapted for pumping specific fluids F04D7/00; priming or boosting F04D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 17/12 Multi-stage pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 17/122 the individual rotor discs being, one for each stage, on a common shaft and axially spaced, e.g. conventional centrifugal multi- stage compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 17/164 Multi-stage fans, e.g. for vacuum cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/166 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/004 by varying driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/582 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A double-ended variable speed blower for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) ventilation of patients includes two impellers in the gas flow path that cooperatively pressurize gas to desired pressure and flow characteristics. Thus, the double-ended blower can provide faster pressure response and desired flow characteristics over a narrower range of motor speeds, resulting in greater reliability and less acoustic noise.

Claims

1. A double-ended blower comprising:

a motor supporting opposed first and second shaft ends;

a first impeller provided to the first shaft end, the first impeller having a first air intake;

a second impeller provided to the second shaft end, the second impeller having a second air intake positioned between the first and second impellers; and

a casing to support the motor and to at least partially define a channel closely adjacent to the motor to guide gas along an air path from the first impeller to the second impeller, wherein the channel is defined in part by a spiral path from the first impeller to the second impeller.

2. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the casing includes first and second halves bisected along a plane parallel to an axis extending along said first and second shaft ends, said first and second halves being fastened to one another.

3. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein an internal surface of the casing at least partially defines the channel.

4. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 3, wherein the internal surface of the casing is formed adjacent a motor stator of the motor so as to define the channel between the motor stator and the internal surface.

5. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a damping sleeve provided to the casing.

6. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 5, wherein the damping sleeve includes separable first and second halves that define in part the channel when combined.

7. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 5, wherein the damping sleeve is made of at least one of silicone, foam, rubber and polyurethane.

8. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein each impeller has scalloped edges.

9. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first impeller is configured for rotation within a first volute defined adjacent a first end of the casing.

10. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first endcap and a portion of a motor stator of the motor define the first volute.

11. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first endcap adjacent the first impeller and a second endcap adjacent the second impeller, wherein said channel is defined between the first and second endcaps.

12. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first endcap includes the first air intake leading to the first impeller.

13. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the casing includes an outlet to direct the gas along a path that is substantially tangential to the second impeller.

14. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second impeller is configured for rotation within a second volute defined adjacent a second end of the casing.

15. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second volute is defined between a contoured plate provided to the motor stator and an inside surface of the second end cap, the contoured plate including the second air intake.

16. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the casing is made of aluminum.

17. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second shaft ends are provided as part of a common shaft.

18. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein both impellers are configured for rotation in the same direction.

19. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second impellers are configured for rotation in opposite directions.

20. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second impellers have blades configured to direct the air in a common direction.

21. A double-ended blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second impellers have blades configured to direct the air in opposite directions.

22. A CPAP/NIPPV apparatus for treatment of a patient with a sleeping disorder, including the blower as claimed in claim 1.

23. A CPAP/NIPPV apparatus as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a patient interface.

24. A CPAP/NIPPV apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the CPAP/NIPPV apparatus is pre-set to deliver inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) during the inspiratory phase of the patient'"'"'s breathing cycle, and to deliver expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) during the expiration phase of the patient'"'"'s respiratory cycle.

25. A CPAP/NIPPV apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the IPAP is greater than the EPAP.

26. A CPAP/NIPPV apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the blower is configured to generate pressures in the range of about 4 cm H₂O to 28 cm H₂O at flow rates of up to of about 180 L/min as measured at the patient interface.